Hawaii girl, 3, dies after dental procedures

A 3-year-old Hawaii girl who suffered massive brain injuries last month after dental procedures died late on Friday, said an attorney for the child’s family.

Earlier this week, the family of Finley Boyle, 3, filed a lawsuit against dentist Lilly Geyer and Island Dentistry for Children in Honolulu, alleging that the child was given incorrect doses of sedatives and that the hospital staff was not properly trained for emergencies.

On Dec. 3, Ashley Boyle took her young daughter to Island Dentistry for extensive dental work, which the family states in court documents was recommended by Dr. Geyer.

The planned procedures included four root canals and multiple cavity fillings, according to the documents.

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The Boyle family’s attorney L. Richard Fried Jr. said on Saturday the child was given “grossly excessive” amounts of sedatives, went into cardiac arrest and later suffered brain damage.

The family charges that the staff was improperly trained for emergencies and failed to check the patient’s vital signs for 26 minutes.

“It ended up being a massive overdose,” said Fried.

Island Dentistry for Children has closed permanently, according to a statement on the firm’s website, which does not provide any further details or explanation.

Finley’s death follows a case in California that gained nationwide attention last month when 13-year-old Jahi McMath was declared brain dead after a tonsil surgery gone wrong at an Oakland children’s hospital.

The McMath family and the hospital on Friday agreed on moving Jahi to a new facility without removing the ventilator keeping her heart and lungs working.